Football singularity-Chapter 460 Back & Fourth
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[13/11/2019, Location: Motor Lublin Arena, Time: 19:35]
[5]
In the fifth minute, Germany nearly drew first blood after a string of controlled passes. Kevin Schade suddenly turned and chipped a high ball into the left channel. Rakim Rex, already in motion, darted past Choi Jun, chested the ball down as it dropped from the lights, and flicked it past the defender in the same motion. Cheers surged from the German fans in anticipation of how this attack would develop.
Now inside the box, he dragged the ball across his body with the outside of his left foot, cutting back as he baited Lee Jae-ik into committing. Lee bit. Rakim paused, nudged the ball through his open legs as he rounded the defender. Without hesitation, he fired a low-driven shot to the near post, Lee Gwang-yeon came in clutch, pulling off a spectacular save.
He had managed to read the shot perfectly, dropped low in an instant to parry the strike wide. Not cleanly, but just enough, but it was good enough to keep his teams on level terms. The crowd gasped, a moment of brilliance that was denied by quick reflexes, but the Korean fans were content with the result.
In the commentary booth, Paul Gartner's voice echoed over the sound system, animated and just slightly breathless. "What a dazzling move from Rakim! That little shimmy and nutmeg, that's why the kid is box office. But take nothing away from Lee Gwang-yeon—sharp and ready between the posts."
Mark Stewart leaned closer to his mic. "Germany is testing Korea's resolve early. Rakim's early drive could force them to pay more attention to him, and this could open things up for Moukoko or Wirtz if they read the moments."
The following corner didn't result in much with Germany's Malik Talabidi sending a header into the stands after a hard-fought aerial duel with Lee Jae-ik. Germany's high press remained relentless in the minutes that followed. Angelo Stiller and Florian Wirtz showed strong synergy in midfield, circulating the ball quickly, probing for weaknesses in the Korean block.
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South Korea, to their credit, didn't panic. Kim Jung-min dropped deep alongside Hong Hyun-seok, forming a two-man anchor, trying to stall Germany's build-up. The Korean line stayed compact, daring Germany to work through the middle. Rakim got more involved as he was given space to operate under the Korean defensive formation.
In the 9th minute, he peeled wide again, hugging the left touchline. Katterbach spotted him and released a chipped pass that whistled just above Eom Won-sang's outstretched boot. Rakim killed the ball with his instep, then flicked it forward with his heel, skipping into open space. He surged ahead, then shifted his body in a sudden deceleration as Choi Jun closed in to mark him.
Choi Jun closed in quickly, matching Rakim stride for stride—but the German winger was in rhythm now. With one smooth drag-back, Rakim created a sliver of space, then danced his boot over the ball twice before flipping it behind his standing leg, a move that left Choi flat-footed. Gasps rippled through the stands as Rakim skipped into the final third, before curling a teasing trivella cross with his right foot to the edge of the six-yard box.
The ball sliced across the box, flying past Moukoko, who was tightly guarded by Kim Hyun-woo and Lee Jae-ik, dropping near the back post. Jamie Leweling went airborne, throwing his head at it—but Kim Hyun-woo met him mid-flight, getting just enough of his shoulder on the ball to deflect it skyward. The referee's whistle stayed silent as a scramble the ball ensued.
Moukoko reacted faster and pivoted out of his tight marking and struck the ball on the bounce, but his shot pinged off the underside of Lee Jae-ik's thigh and spun wide for another corner. "Germany is knocking at Korea's door, and they have the right answers to deny them." Paul Gartner observed. "Rakim's clearly in the mood, and that's bad news for the Korean backline."
"You can see the hesitation creeping in," Mark Stewart added. "They simply can't stand off him, giving a player of his Caliber that much space to operate is asking for trouble. But the moment you over-commit, you leave Wirtz and Moukoko unmarked—and that's how you get punished."
"They have some choices to make and need to choose the lesser poison of whom is less likely to be more of a problem. Right now, that is proving to be Rakim who won't give Choi Jun a moment of rest," Paul Gartner intoned as the referee paused the match for the Korean medical staff to attend to Lee Jae-ik's who stayed down after the ball impacted his thigh.
The medical team quickly assessed Lee Jae-ik on the pitch, applying a cold spray to his thigh and stretching his leg. He gingerly rose to his feet moments later, nodding to the referee that he was okay to continue, prompting applause from the South Korean fans. Play resumed with Germany's corner, taken short by Rakim and Wirtz at the right corner flag. The young winger exchanged passes quickly with Florian, shifting positions up and down that flank as they drew in more defenders.
Suddenly, Wirtz, close to the corner flag, sent a long pass to the edge of the box into the feet of Antonis Aidonis, Germany's right back. The full back did not hesitate in sending an in swinging cross toward the near post. Armel Bella-Kotchap met the ball around the penalty spot with a powerful leap, his header crashing against the crossbar, reverberating through the Motor Lublin Arena.
"Off the bar!" Gartner exclaimed. "Bella-Kotchap just inches from opening the scoring!"
Stewart leaned forward, adding, "South Korea's struggling to handle Germany's aerial threat. They've dodged a bullet, but they can't rely on luck for much longer."
South Korea tried to relieve pressure by moving swiftly on the counter as Choi Jun sent a through ball into the run of Lee Kang-in. Since he was the creative brain of the Korean team, he had been guarding near the edge of the box for the corner, so when the chance presented itself, he surged forward. He latched onto the ball at the edge of the middle third, speeding forward as he glided up the left flank.
The crowd roared in anticipation as Lee Kang-in streaked down the left flank, eating up yards with surprising pace. Malik Talabidi, one of Germany's centre backs, scrambled back desperately, trying to cut off the angle. The Valencia midfielder, aware of the pressure closing in, swept the ball inside with his left foot, sending it spinning perfectly into the path of Jeong Woo-yeong, who surged up from midfield.
Taking the ball in stride, he dribbled forward, battling shoulder to shoulder with a recovering Angelo Stiller. Despite his thinner frame, he remained composed and slippery, using Stillers' force to propel himself forward. Playing a quick one-two at the edge of the box with Oh Se-hun, he gained a meter of space as he entered the box from the right side.
The roar from the stands intensified as Jeong Woo-yeong expertly shielded the ball from Noah Katterbach, his balance remarkable as he twisted and pivoted into the German box. Just as he wound up to shoot, Malik Talabidi surged in from the side, extending his leg and executing a perfectly timed sliding tackle. They both hit the ball at almost the same time, but it was Jeong who won out as the ball skipped up from the ground, spinning wildly as it flew towards the goal.
Jan Olschowsky reacted instantly, pushing off with his right foot and diving full-stretch to his left. Time slowed in the packed Motor Lublin Arena, the German fans holding their breath, the South Koreans rising to their feet with hope swelling. The ball, spinning unpredictably, dipped sharply, seemingly destined for the bottom corner. But Olschowsky's fingertips grazed it just enough, sending it wide of the upright.
A collective sigh erupted from the Korean section, quickly overtaken by applause for the German keeper's miraculous intervention. "What a save by Olschowsky!" Paul Gartner exclaimed. "He had virtually no reaction time, yet he still managed to keep Germany level!"
Mark Stewart chuckled appreciatively, adding, "It's turning into a goalkeeper showdown tonight. First Lee Gwang-yeon denies Rakim, now Olschowsky keeps Jeong out. These keepers are earning their keep early!"
The ensuing corner saw Lee Kang-in swing in a viciously curling cross towards the near post. Armel Bella-Kotchap rose powerfully to head clear, but the ball fell invitingly at the edge of the box to Kim Jung-min. Without hesitation, Kim lashed a venomous half-volley through traffic. Olschowsky, momentarily unsighted, could only watch as the ball whistled mere inches above his crossbar.
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To be Continued...
